DJ Sho Nuph: From Hip Hop Roots to Electronic Evolution
Photos provided by DJ Sho Nuph
By Emma Schwichtenberg
From his roots in hip hop to his exploration of electronic genres like jungle and drum and bass in the early 2000s, Shomari Shanks, aka DJ Sho Nuph is a dynamic DJ.
Starting young, Shanks was immersed in music through his musical family. From breakdancing in school to performing with Tribal Music in high school, his passion for music grew. Shanks moved from Lansing, Michigan, to Seattle at age 12, seeking better opportunities. By the early 2000s, he was deeply into house, jungle, and drum and bass. Inspired by Detroit radio and artists like Roni Size, Shanks embraced these evolving genres.
In 2008, after a battle with kidney failure, Shanks refocused his musical career, leading to the creation of Soulectro in 2011. This genre-fluid night featured a diverse range of music styles, every second Friday at Vermillion Gallery And Bar.
Converge Music recently spoke with Shanks about how his style has evolved over time. He shared how his early influences in hip hop led to a growing interest in electronic music, particularly jungle and drum and bass, during the early 2000s.
Tell me a little bit about how you got started in music.
I knew I was into music early on, even as a little kid. My uncle was a musician, and my grandmother made dresses for gospel groups, so we were always around church music. Music was a constant presence in my life. My mom often tells a story about how it didn’t matter where we were in the store—she always knew where I was because I’d be in the music section or by the music equipment, messing with keyboards or other gear. That’s a story she loves to share with friends. I was drawn to music from a very young age.
So when you were pretty young, you knew you had this attachment to music. When did you start pursuing it or doing it with other people?
In elementary school, I was in a violin class, but I was also into breakdancing and everything else related to music. I was always involved in whatever music had to offer. My family played music, so I was constantly surrounded by it. I was always getting caught touching my uncle's bass or my other uncle's drum set. Music was a constant presence in my life.
I'm curious about where the name "Sho Nuph" came from. How did you come up with it?
Well, my name is Shomari, so "Sho Nuph" is literally half of my first name. It comes from the movie The Last Dragon. After my friends and I saw it together—I'd already seen it with my family—the second time we watched it, we decided that "Sho Nuph" would be my name from then on. My mom already called me "Show," so it felt like a natural fit.
Okay, so tell me a little bit about Underground Luxury.
We started Underground Luxury as a label. We didn’t put out a lot of material—just a couple of compilations—but it wasn’t huge. Our goal was to release music that we were passionate about. Some of it was bass-oriented, some electronic, and some Lo-Fi. We had a bunch of different artists that we all hung out with, so it felt natural to put together music like that. It actually started with shows. We were throwing a small show called Boutique at Substation for a while—it was only once a month. Even before that, at Electric Tea Garden, we had a night called Sub Swag, which was based on electronic music but also had elements of hip hop due to the way we sampled and the backgrounds of the artists. Most of the artists we had come to play had some sort of hip hop or musical background that influenced their work.
You moved to Seattle when you were younger. How old were you when you first moved here?
I was 12, in middle school.
How did you feel about the move? I understand you moved from Lansing, Michigan?
Yes. Lansing is a little south of Michigan State University, so it’s definitely a college town. It was quite different from Seattle. At that time, Lansing was a smaller city, but now it's definitely grown. We had some famous people from there, like Magic Johnson, and a lot of music came out of Michigan. Artists from Michigan worked together, and we saw bands like Ready for the World, who were from Flint, at the Riverfront Festival. It was exciting to see them blow up, and a month later, they were on Soul Train. Music was always a constant in my life.
How was the transition from Michigan to Seattle, especially at such a young age? Was it exciting?
Honestly, I was ready for it. We needed a better opportunity in life because, at that time, both Detroit and Lansing had their challenges. My mom wanted us to have a chance for a better life, and moving here offered that opportunity.
Between moving and starting high school, did you eventually join Tribal Music?
That happened during high school. I was always involved in various activities related to music and dancing, but it was something I kept more to myself. It wasn’t until later in high school—around my sophomore or junior year—that I really got involved. One of the summer jobs I had was at Langston Hughes, and that's when I met Vitamin D and Topspin, among others. We clicked because of our shared love for music and mutual friends. By my senior year, we had formed a solid crew. We started putting out music and performing our songs. The connection among us developed quickly, and our musical talents came together in a unique way. Each member brought a different style, which made our group dynamic and cohesive, like Voltron.
How would you have described your style during that time?
I was definitely abstract, off the beaten path, and still discovering myself. I was open to new experiences and influences.
How would you say your style has transformed over time? It seems like there was an inspiration from hip hop to more electronic music, like jungle and drum and bass in the early 2000s. What drove that change or transition?
Being from Michigan, I was always into house music and electronic sounds. Before we moved, I had this cool radio that allowed me to listen to a Detroit station on Saturday nights. The DJ would read excerpts from books and play hip hop and electronic music. This was around '87 or '88, during the early days of house and techno. The early hip hop tracks that are now considered classics also influenced me.
House music always made me move and had a positive, upbeat vibe, reminding me of church music but in a more danceable and freeing way. As for drum and bass, I was drawn to it because of my love for percussion. I don't recall the exact moment I first heard it, but discovering groups like Roni Size and his collective, which blended hip hop with other elements, was eye-opening. They started as a hip hop group and evolved into something new, which inspired me to explore and innovate.
Emceeing over jungle music started as a fun experiment. A friend of mine, who runs a nightclub now, suggested turning it into a regular night. I met a talented DJ from Atlanta living in Seattle, and together we became the hosts of the night. It clicked, and it became a regular Friday event.
Drum and bass continues to hold a special place in my heart, and I still love playing it. It’s one of those genres that, despite its age, has evolved and grown with time. Similar to hip hop, it has various styles, from classic to contemporary. In the jungle scene, liquid jungle, which has a smooth, groovy vibe, reminds me of Sade's music.
I'm wondering, in 2008, you were diagnosed with kidney failure. How did this challenge influence your music and outlook on life?
The crazy thing is that it made me more of a fan of music than ever before. I continued performing and DJing, but the experience shifted my focus. I became more dedicated to creating music that evokes the same feelings in others that I get when I hear certain tracks.
After dealing with the initial kidney failure and regaining my strength by 2011, I started a night called Soulectro. This event was everything I wanted to do—play a diverse range of music. Working in nightclubs often meant sticking to genre-specific sets, which could become monotonous after a few hours. I wanted to create a night that was not confined to any single genre. Soulectro was designed to be a palatable, non-genre-specific experience. We might end the night with house music or another style of electronic dance music, but it always starts with soulful or poppy vibes, depending on the mood.
I’m someone who enjoys hearing a bit of everything. In my solo DJ sets, I mix various styles of music, creating a rich, diverse listening experience.
Shanks is collaborating with DJ WD 40 on a project called Dion Christopher. This project blends their shared love for hip-hop and house music, creating sample-based house tracks with a hip-hop influence. He is also a part of Soulectro, a monthly event held every second Friday at Vermilion Gallery and Bar. This event showcases various DJs and offers a lively atmosphere for dancing.
Find Shanks on Instagram @sho.shanks.redemption.
